Statement From Senator Nozzolio on the Unfinished State Budget

It is unconscionable that after three months of missed deadlines, secret negotiations, huge spending and tax increases and a costly week-to-week extender process, Senate Democrats are now leaving Albany with the State budget still unfinished. Instead, they continue to hold New York State taxpayers hostage by refusing to act on a bill that would pay for all the spending they added to the budget.

In the last 16 months, the New York City-controlled Democrat majority has increased State spending by 12%. Now, they refuse to bring the budget revenue bill up for vote that would pay for this outrageous spending. The Senate Democrats wouldn’t even answer when questioned why they were not bringing the budget revenue bill to the floor. They ruled all of our attempts to hold them accountable for the late budget as out of order!

The budget reform law that these legislators supported three years ago requires an open, on-time and transparent budget process. Now, the Democrat majority continues to violate this law by refusing to stay here and do what it takes to get the budget done.

The New York City Democrats’ agenda is very clear.  They want to tax more, spend more, and create additional State regulations that will strangle business and further erode the economy of our State. Now they are shirking their responsibilities to act on a bill that would pay for their spending.